Senate pact could aid 12 million immigrants

Immigration deal reached in Senate12 million could win legal status in U.S., but bill backed by Bush still faces many hurdles

MICHELLE MITTELSTADT, Houston Chronicle Washington Bureau

Published 5:30 am, Friday, May 18, 2007

Photo: MAYRA BELTRÁN, CHRONICLE FILE

Image 1of/1

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 1

The bill requires that security be in place before other parts of the legislation are enacted. Provisions include 370 more miles of border fencing, such as this stretch near Chula Vista, Calif.

The bill requires that security be in place before other parts of the legislation are enacted. Provisions include 370 more miles of border fencing, such as this stretch near Chula Vista, Calif.

Photo: MAYRA BELTRÁN, CHRONICLE FILE

Senate pact could aid 12 million immigrants

1 / 1

Back to Gallery

WASHINGTON — The Senate next week will consider a bipartisan deal that would place millions of illegal immigrants on the right side of the law, toughen border security and give new emphasis to admitting higher-skilled legal immigrants in the future.

A bipartisan group of about 10 senators, meeting behind closed doors for three months with Bush administration officials, reached agreement on the compromise Thursday after their staffs met through the night to resolve the final sticking points.

"This plan isn't perfect, but it's a strong bill and it is a worthy solution," said Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., who played an instrumental role in crafting the deal.

Said fellow negotiator Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.: "This is the last, best chance to pass immigration reform on our terms, as a nation, to make us competitive, to deal with 12 million people living in the shadows and not repeat it in the future."

Though Kennedy and his fellow negotiators were optimistic that their vision will be embraced by a majority of the Senate, the bill faces a long struggle in Congress, and final passage is not assured.

Related Stories

A few Senate Democrats and Republicans immediately announced their opposition. And Texas Republican Sens. John Cornyn and Kay Bailey Hutchison, who took part in the marathon negotiating sessions, were noticeably absent Thursday when the deal was announced at a Capitol news conference.

Both Texans said they need to read the full 380-page agreement before deciding whether to support it, and both indicated discomfort with some parts of the deal.

Critics call it amnesty

They and their fellow Republicans are sure to come under pressure from conservative activists who branded the deal an unacceptable amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Democrats face pressure of their own from immigrant-rights groups, labor unions, the Roman Catholic Church and business interests that object to different aspects of the sprawling bill — particularly regarding the temporary worker program and proposed limits on bringing in extended family members.

The deal would place the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants on a swift course to legal status, making them eligible for four-year "Z" visas that would be renewable indefinitely. In exchange they would have to pay a maximum $5,000 fine per family, undergo a criminal background check and learn English.

After an eight-year wait, the "Z" visa holders could apply for legal permanent residency and eventually citizenship.

Once certain border security measures had been in place, the plan would create a temporary worker program, bringing 400,000 foreigners to work here on two-year visas. These workers would have to return to their country for a year before they could come back.

The vast majority would gain no path to permanent residence through the guest worker program, a key demand by Republicans.

A separate program would bring in agricultural guest workers, helping to alleviate the major labor shortages faced by growers across the U.S.

The temporary worker and legalization programs would begin once certain goals had been met. They include:

•The creation of an employment verification system designed to weed out unauthorized workers;
•The addition of Border Patrol agents, border fencing and other border security infrastructure.

Probationary cards

In the meantime, illegal immigrants would be given probationary cards that would allow them to work here legally and travel outside the country.

In a major change in legal immigration, the deal would place a new emphasis on bringing in foreigners with higher educational, work and English skills.

Currently, more than two-thirds of immigrants are admitted to the country based on their family ties to U.S. residents. Democrats insisted on keeping family reunification at the center of the system, but Republicans prevailed in limiting the entry of adult brothers or sisters and extended family members, because they were concerned about the chain migration that could occur with the legalization of 12 million immigrants.

In addition to facing strong opposition in the Senate, particularly as senators begin to read the fine print, the deal faces an uncertain future in the House. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., made no commitments to embrace the Senate deal, which differs in many ways from the leading bill the House intends to take up in July.

House Republicans, who last year focused solely on increasing immigration enforcement, complained bitterly about the Senate bill.

"This proposal would do lasting damage to the country, American workers and the rule of law," said Rep. Lamar Smith of San Antonio, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee.

Bush backing deal

The White House, which made a major effort to get the deal in hopes of assuring President Bush's years-long push for a comprehensive immigration bill, is backing the Senate deal.

"This is a bill where people who live here in our country will be treated without amnesty, but without animosity," Bush said.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff disagreed with the complaint by some Republicans that the interior enforcement provisions were watered down in the talks, making it harder to go after rogue employers and illegal workers,

"From an enforcement standpoint, this is a home run for the department," Chertoff said.

Latest from the Chron.com Homepage

Click below for the top news from around the Houston area and beyond. Sign up for our newsletters to be the first to learn about breaking news and more. Go to 'Sign In' and 'Manage Profile' at the top of the page.